WHO IS SUBJECT TO THE LAW: Agencies That Must Comply

Commonwealth Agencies: Any office, department, authority or other parts of the executive branch, state-affiliated entities, independent agencies, and includes the Governor, Attorney General, Auditor General and the Treasury Department.

Local Agencies: Any political subdivision, intermediate unit, or charter, public trade or vocational school [or] any local, intergovernmental, regional or municipal agency, authority, council, board commission or similar governmental entity.

Legislative Agencies: The Senate, House of Representatives and many committees and commissions like the Capitol Preservation Committee, the IRRC, Center for Rural Pennsylvania, the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, and Legislative Audit Advisory Commission to name a few. For a complete list, see Section 102.

Judicial Agencies: Any entity or office of the unified judicial system, like Magisterial District Judges

WHAT IS COVERED BY THE LAW: Records, not Questions

Make sure when you file a RTK request, you are seeking records and not just asking questions. The law governs release of records.

A record is defined as “any information regardless of its physical form or character that documents a transaction or activity of an agency AND is created, received, or retained pursuant to law OR in connection with a transaction, business or activity of an agency.”

Records can take many forms, including papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, film or sound recordings, information stored or maintained electronically and a data-processed or image-processed documents. Note that e-mails can also be a form of public records, subject to any exceptions.

EXCEPTIONS: Protects Certain Information From Disclosure

The law contains 30 exceptions, cited in Section 708, that permit an Agency to withhold records. An Agency may deny release of a record if it falls within one of the 30 exceptions designed to protect information that is confidential or may jeopardize safety or investigations. Types of records that can be withheld include records related to personal or public security, DNA/RNA records, autopsy records, social security numbers, personal financial information, personal email addresses, marital status, identity of a covert law enforcement officer, home address of judges or law enforcement, confidential source records, victim information.

Date Requested:

Month

Day

Year

Name of Requestor:

Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Phone Number:

Please enter a valid ten-digit phone number (e.g. 999-999-9999)

Email:

Note: an electronic copy of this request will be sent to the above email address as a receipt of the request. You must keep this email in order to file an appeal.

Records Requested:

Provide as much specific detail as possible so the agency can identify the information.

Do you want copies?

Do you want to inspect the records?

Do you want certified copies of records?

Disclaimer:

Please note that you must keep the emailed version of this request in order to file an appeal.

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